Marta Cieslak has been named the new director of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Downtown Center. As director, Cieslak will develop and curate educational, community and professional programming at the university’s downtown space. She will also serve as a university liaison with campus stakeholders and partners. Cieslak is the president of the Polish American Historical Association and will teach classes at UA Little Rock.
Gina Lockwood has been selected as the new director of government relations at Arkansas Tech University of Russellville. Lockwood, who was previously chief operating officer at the Arkansas Department of Education, will focus on the university’s relationships with local, state and national government.
Sanci Richardson has joined Excel by Eight of Little Rock as communities manager. Richardson, consultant to business and community leaders, is the founder and CEO of The Bridge Consulting Group and will help Excel by Eight create and implement a strategy to build strong resource grids.
The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund has added four members to its board of directors. Sharmane Andrews will serve on the governance committee. She is the current senior vice president and chief compliance officer at Simmons Bank of Little Rock. Daniel Brewer and Mark Steenhoek will serve on the finance committee. Brewer is the co-owner/operator of the Abbe House Inn in Heber Springs and an emergency management specialist at Defense Finance Accounting & Services of Indianapolis. Steenhoek is an operating partner at The Stephens Group of Little Rock, where he works with private equity. Eddie Thomas will serve on the student services committee. Thomas is assistant director of the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services. They bring the total number of board members to 15. In addition, two board members have been elected to officer positions: Ryan Morrow will serve as treasurer and Mike Weaver will serve as secretary.
Embassy Suites by Hilton in Little Rock has announced three executive leadership hires. Mark Mitchell has been hired as general manager, Mystic Adams has been hired as assistant general manager, and Jason Stephens has been hired as executive chef.
Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs has appointed five new members to its board of trustees for 2023-24: Chris Ho, vice president of marketing at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs; Dr. Ethan Erwin, dentist and owner of Smile Hot Springs; Karen Wolstenholme, manager at Fowler Ranch; Parth Patel, president of development for VIPA Hospitality of Hot Springs; and Tiffany Rogers, the former executive director of Hot Springs Academic Initiatives for Henderson State University of Arkadelphia.
See more of this week's Movers & Shakers, and submit your own announcement at ArkansasBusiness.com/Movers.
